Siva Cabin - Shared - $1,100.00

Siva Cabin - Private - $1,350.00

Deluxe Shanti Cabin - Shared - $1,100.00

Deluxe Shanti Cabi

About This Event

Description

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a two-part Permaculture Design Course. You must attend both to receive your Permaculture Design Certificate. Register for Part 2 here.

The course will follow the structure and content of internationally-recognized PDC’s, while adding principles and practices of Yoga and Ayurveda. We will look to the roots of permaculture with Bill Mollison and David Holmgren as well as the application and influence it has had around the world.

The daily rhythm will include participation in the ashram’s meditation, chanting, & satsang, as well as pranayama & asana sessions. Two sattvic meals are provided, between which we will cover theory and practice of permaculture. Each day’s theme will include lecture, discussion, activities, and hands-on application to digest the content in a dynamic way. We will use the wild lands, fruit/nut orchards, gardens, and greenhouse as our classroom. The container of the ashram will provide it’s own education – learning to live in harmony with the daily rhythm of the land and the community. Yoga and Ayurveda will be explored in the context of holistic, regenerative living and will also provide frameworks for exploring permaculture in a Vedic way, such as through the five elements.

Course Content

Earth:

Soil Science & Soil Food Web

Fertility management including Composting, Compost tea

Earthworks

Natural Building

Agroforestry and agriculture

Ayurvedic herbalism – growing and using medicinals

Bio-remediation

Carbon sequestration

Land access

Water:

Rainwater harvesting

Grey water design

Irrigation basics

Storing water in the landscape

Aquaculture

Alternative currencies

Fire:

Renewable Energy

Appropriate Technology

Fire ecology

Ayurvedic diet and cooking

Animals in the landscape

Air:

Site Analysis & Self Analysis (Ayurvedic Doshas, constitution)

Reading the landscape

Climatic strategies (Ayurvedic concepts of Desha, land)

Creating and working with microclimates

Mapping and map reading

Ether:

History of Permaculture and it’s roots in traditional cultures worldwide

Certification

This is a two-part Permaculture Design Course. You must attend both to receive your Permaculture Design Certificate. This provides you with time in between to study, apply what you learned, and work on your homework (final design projects).

PART 1 will focus on the context of permaculture along with it’s foundations of principles and patterns. We will dive into core subjects such as soil, water, plants, and the basics of design. Students are expected to do some work/study in between courses and will present a final design project at the end of second week (in spring) – also a requisite for graduation.

PART 2 will focus on the wider application of permaculture to various climates, social permaculture and community governance. Infrastructure such as natural building and renewable energy will be taught alongside other “strategies for an alternative nation” (Mollison) such as land access and alternative economics. International and Vedic permaculture/agriculture will be explored as well. We will end with design presentations from students and a graduation ceremony.

Schedule

06:00 – 08:00 am Satsang: Silent meditation, chanting and lecture

08:00 – 10:00 am Permaculture Class

10:00 – 10:45 am Brunch

11:00 – 04:00 pm Permaculture Class

04:00 – 06:00 pm Yoga Class

06:00 – 06:45 pm Dinner

08:00 – 10:00 pm Satsang: meditation, chanting and lecture

Instructors

The core instructors have been in collaboration for a decade. They each design ecological gardens and teach permaculture together at the Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, CA.

Arrival and Departure

Arrival: Check-in time begins at 2AM on the first date listed above. The course will begin with an orientation at 7pm on the first Date of the course with an Ashram Orientation followed by Satsang at 8pm.

Students will be provided with supplemental reading material in digital form as well as a recommended reading list.

Additional books and materials are available in our boutique.

FAQs

Do I have to complete parts 1 & 2 in the same year?

Yes. You need special permission from the course instructors to complete the course in two separate years. We understand that there may be life circumstances or emergencies, however, we still don’t recommend doing this for a few reasons. For one, there is no guarantee that part 2 of the course will be offered in the second year you want to take it, since it depends on the number of students that register. Secondly, you might find it difficult to retain the information you gained from part 1 and also working on your design project when taking a year or more in between. Finally, it is possible that the curriculum could change, which would potentially leave gaps or have repeat lessons.

Having a two-part course is actually a unique offering that students appreciate. It gives you time to take a break from the intensive course, allows more study time and plenty of time to work on required design projects.Design project work is often squeezed into other intensive two-week PDC’s on top of 7-8 hours of daily class time.

Are meals included in the course?

Yes. Two high quality organic vegetarian meals are provided daily. It is served buffet style, so you are welcome to take a little extra for an afternoon snack. You are also welcome to bring your own snacks, but please follow the Ashram dietary guidelines. We have a shared student fridge available for storing food. Our boutique sells various vegan, gluten-free, organic and/or fair-trade snacks and beverages.

Can you accommodate special diet needs or food allergies?

We follow a strict yogic lacto-vegetarian diet at the Ashram. We never serve eggs, garlic, onion, mushrooms or meat. Dairy (i.e milk, cheese or yogurt) is served separately on occasion and is sometimes included in our dishes. Our meals always have vegan options (including a salad bar). We usually have wheat-free options as well, but we cannot guarantee suitable conditions for severe gluten intolerance or people with celiac disease. We cannot guarantee suitable meals for people with dietary restrictions, extreme food or nut allergies, although we rarely use nuts in our cooking.

Can I commute to the course?

We recommend staying at the ashram to gain the full experience and immersion in Yoga life, however, we understand it is not always possible for people. Please email us at (contact info blocked) to ask for permission to commute. If approved, commuters are still asked to attend both morning and evening Satsang and one yoga class per day.

Do you offer scholarships and/or work trade?

Scholarships are not always available but sometimes discounts are offered on a case-by-case basis, contingent upon approval from the course instructors and the directors of the Ashram. Email (contact info blocked) with your reason for requesting a scholarship. We may ask for supporting financial documents and references.

We do not offer “word-trade” per se, but if you are interested in serving at the Yoga Farm you can fill out the Seva Study or Karma Yoga application. You can specify that you are interested in the Permaculture Design Course on the application. You may still be responsible for course tuition even if you are a volunteer. We recommend putting down your deposit for the PDC to secure your spot.

Have more questions?

Email us at (contact info blocked) or call us at (contact info blocked).

My Experience: I loved TTC. Every part of it. Really. I was always marveling at how seamless and spacious it all felt even in the midst of a tighter schedule. And then I remembered where the teachings came from. The staff at the ashram were all so supportive and kind. The teachers amazing and just breathed what they taught/teach. I felt nourished physically, mentally and spiritually from arrival through departure and it stays with me. I think some of the effect on me is trust. Deeper faith and trust in God which I practice through Sivananda yoga. I feel more relaxed, peaceful and often able to stay in the moment.
TTC did change my life on many levels. An obvious change has been that I have let go of teaching Vinyasa and other asana practices and focused on teaching Sivananda. I had been worried if people would appreciate it here in Fairfield county but they do and who was I to doubt. And I don’t have to come up with sequences and playlists so I can spend more time sitting, breathing etc.
My Advice to future students: Take it easy and breathe, do your homework, pay attention in lectures etc, trust the teachers when they say it’s all ok. Remember this is your guide, your friend and don’t take any one thing too seriously. Dance with it all and laugh.
Enjoy it it passes way too soon.

Venue Highlights

Open to guests year round, the Yoga Farm welcomes people from around the world and provides a peaceful setting in which to find a way back to a holistic lifestyle in harmony with nature. Additionally, our guests testify to the effect of a sense of stress relief and moreover they feel an improved physical, emotional, and spiritual health. You can join for a day, a week, or longer.

Accommodations

The Yoga Farm accommodations are separate cabins that are nestled under trees with beautiful surroundings. If you would like to register, please click on the links below and it will bring you to the Yoga Vaction registration page for the accommodations of your choice. The rates below include daily Satsangs, organic vegetarian meals, Hatha Yoga classes and access to ashram facilities. Learn more by checking out our Guest Information page. Special courses and events have an additional tuition rate. You can check our Program Calendar for a full listing of events. We also welcome day guests, but please let us know ahead that you are coming. There is a holiday surcharge during Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year.

Deluxe Shanti Cabins
These extremely comfortable and spacious cabins are tastefully furnished and decorated. Watch the deer wander by from the front porch with sun shade. For your comfort, an air conditioner, propane heater and ceiling fan are provided; furnishings include a desk/table and chairs, dresser/wardrobe and a sitting area. A small refrigerator, dishes and cutlery are provided.

Om Cabins
Our original Om Cabins are placed in a peaceful and tranquil setting, on a gentle hillside overlooking the pond and surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ashram. Each cabin is named for a different virtue, such as happiness or contentment. Each cabin is furnished with a dresser, desk, night stand, ceiling fan and propane heater.

Tenting
Guests may bring their own tent or rent out an ashram tent and camp on the land. Sleep closer to nature in the fresh, open air. There are deck platforms designated for tenting.

Amenities

Free Wifi

Towels

Free Parking

Coffee/Tea

Yoga Studio

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Ayurvedic

Organic

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Nut Free

Menu/Cuisine

Eating a plant-based diet has been conclusively shown to be good for health and well-being. Furthermore, it is detoxifying and nutritive at the same time. In addition, the meals are freshly prepared with love and care by dedicated karma yogis. Also, the ashram uses mostly organic, locally produced fruits and vegetables.

The buffet meals offered are lacto-vegetarian. We also have a permaculture vegetable garden and grow some of our own food and flowers.

Please note that meat, fish, alcohol, tobacco, coffee, black tea, and eggs are not served in the ashram.

The meals are offered at 10:00 am and 6:00 pm with a small fruit snack served in the afternoon. Additional snacks are available in the boutique if needed.

In case you have any special dietary restrictions please mention so on your application form and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Directions

The Ashram is situated near highway 49 between Auburn and Grass Valley, just one hour from Sacramento and three hours (without traffic) from San Francisco and is easily accessible by car or by Amtrak (train and bus).

Cancellation Policy

100% deposit refund for cancellation 30+ days before event.
50% deposit refund for cancellation 15-29 days before event.
0% deposit refund for cancellation 0-14 days before event.
The remaining balance (total price minus deposit) is due upon arrival.Get full details...

About the
Venue and Teachers

Welcome to your yoga retreat in the beautiful Sierra foothills of Northern California! Since 1971, the Sivananda Yoga Farm has been an oasis of peace and tranquility for people from all walks of life to come and find themselves.Yoga and meditation are the most effective methods to recharge the body and mind and relieve the tension and stress of modern life. Take time to slow down, enjoy nature and reconnect to a wholesome way of life, re-inspire with new thoughts and perspectives, uplift your spirit with daily chanting, and apply techniques to increase your awareness and joy.Come for a Yoga vacation of a few days or weeks and gradually walk the path towards the deeper aspects of Yoga – from improving fitness and relaxing to maintaining health, calming the mind, and even becoming a counselor and Yoga teacher for others.

Spencer Nielsen is a guide to Nature inside and out, in the wild lands, gardens, and consciousness. He is a permaculture designer and educator based in Fairfax, California. He has studied Ecology, Environmental Education, and Eco-Social Design, as well as Permaculture, Yoga, Qigong, Ayurveda, Daoist medicine, and Planetary Herbalism. With over a decade of experience farming, landscaping, and gardening, Spencer currently teaches permaculture at the Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas. He is a perennial student of herbalism and Ayurveda, currently with the East-West School of Herbology and the American Institute of Vedic Studies. Spencer has worked on international projects helping to design farms and gardens in India, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Yoga is foundational to his life path which includes guiding nature connection, ancestral skills, wilderness rites of passage, and sharing yoga and qigong along with Vedic and Daoist herbal wisdom. A lover of life, Spencer maximizes his time at his half-acre homestead, where he tends his garden and enjoys drinking tea and playing music.

Through her business Rehydrate the Earth, Lydia Neilsen works on a practical and consciousness-based level to teach and implement techniques for ecosystem revitalization. Lydia educates individuals and communities in the creation of stunning regenerative designs including do-it-yourself scale earthworks for water infiltration, productive water conserving polyculture landscapes, soil building, greywater and other Earth healing strategies. She listens to the land and its inhabitants to facilitate the creation of vibrant, energetically alive, functionally beautiful habitats. In addition to Rehydrate the Earth, Lydia teaches as part of several Bay Area Permaculture Design Courses and is a certified Permaculture Educator through the Permaculture Institute of North America (PINA). Lydia is a lead teacher and the program manager for the Regenerative Design Institute (RDI) Four Seasons Permaculture Design Course at Commonweal Garden in Bolinas.

Reviews
To review this event, visit the page for the venue or retreat leaders (above).

We had a tremendous introduction to the ashram. We started with a great Ayurveda talk that was superb and very informational. Then Govinda led us to the Shiva temple where we all played kirtan together. We also went to Durga temple and sang songs of devotion there. It was sublime.
The yoga class and the talk were also wonderful. The evening dinner was incredibly healthy and delicious. I think this is the best part, especially since the gut-brain connection is so important for health and happiness.
Overall, I recommend this Ashram to anyone seeking a deeper connection to nature, themselves, health and happiness.

I have been to the Ashram twice now within the past 3 years and wonder why it took me so long to go back. This place is very spiritual, open minded and gives the mind a chance to rest and focus on your inner Divine self. It’s where people from all walks of life came together. Everyone is welcome to use this experience as they want. You can follow the schedule or just go one hikes all day. Plus they have animals! They have cats, dogs, llamas, cranes, fish..... the list goes on. Lastly, the staff, students and other guests I met where all so nice, friendly and respectful. I can’t wait to go back and am not waiting another 3 years to go.

This place is a wonderful restorative and seemingly well-kept secret. Located in a gorgeous area outside of Grass Valley with a wonderful Yoga and meditation hall as well as sweet cabins nicely spaced apart. The staff and volunteers are kind, generous and fun and the Yoga instructors were some of the best I’ve ever had. I felt a part of the community as soon as I arrived. I will be returning!

This place is a wonderful, restorative and seemingly well-kept secret. Located in a gorgeous area outside of Grass Valley with a wonderful Yoga and meditation hall and sweet cabins spaced nicely apart. The people are kind, generous and fun and the Yoga instructors were some of the best I’ve ever had and I felt welcome every step I took. I will be returning!

I never really felt welcomed here -- I guess I was expecting an elevated, joyous atmosphere since it is a spiritual place, but there was a certain coldness and detachment from the staff that surprised me. I wasn't expecting 'customer service' or anything, but how about generosity of spirit? Make eye contact, smile and greet your guests -- just simple stuff. There were times when I said hello and wasn't even acknowledged. I think it would help the ashram immensely to put this basic kindness into practice -- otherwise you give the impression that spiritual practice means disconnecting from people and being in a not-so-happy state. It's not a good example, especially for novice seekers like myself.

I have taken several courses now at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm and am never disappointed. The energy there is very pure and the teachings of the highest quality. The Swami's and staff are dedicated to service and upholding these ancient teachings in their true form.

I attended a weekend retreat last August and enjoyed many nice aspects of my time there. The food was delicious, the facilities are nice, and there were some devoted teachers who worked hard to create a good experience for participants.
The overall atmosphere is very, very serious and not altogether comfortable for that reason. I don't think a spiritual center must be only a matter of somber business - at least not a spiritual center that opens its doors to members of the community to come on retreats. Maybe I'm just too light-hearted and expect some degree of that in an offering such as this. I certainly missed that feeling during the weekend.
On a similar note, our group was told that a certain gathering was optional. We decided that we preferred to spend time quietly on our own out in the sunshine and clear air. (We were escaping some terrible smoke in our hometown.). However, one of the monks cornered us when he saw us outside during that time and pressured us to go in and participate in the session. We meant no disrespect and were simply exercising the option we had been given to do something else, but I felt as though we were treated as transgressors, which didn't feel very good.
One thing I found quite surprising is that, although we were told that modest dress is required at the ashram, we arrived to see a giant poster of a nearly naked man on the side of one of the main buildings! And in the first yoga class I took, there was a man wearing a small tank top and small, form-fitting shorts. I'm ok with all of this personally, but if the ashram is going to have a policy like this, I would recommend that it examine its own imagery and practices and see if they comply with the policy. Probably best to either adhere to it across the board or do away with it.
Thanks for soliciting this feedback and for welcoming my friends and me that weekend.

Om Shanti, Om Shanti, Om Shanti.
That is the first, the last and the most important. I spent my weekend surrounded with such peace. This was my very first visit to an Ashram and I did not want to leave when Sunday came around. I visited at the end of September for the Diabetics weekend. My husband purchased it for me and I also didn't go because I do not have diabetes and I am pretty healthy. The weekend taught me so much about myself and I learned to look at my food so very differently. I was able to cook for with my fellow attendees and got some great recipes to take home. I will be back to the Ashram very soon.
Olivia

This was my first trip to an ashram and I was warmly welcomed. It was an amazing experience. Really life altering in the most subtle and gentle way. I am so happy I have found the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm and plan to return. The food is amazing, the energy and feel of the place is so alive, and everyone is inviting and kind. It was an opportunity for me to reconnect with myself. I left feeling more alive, aware and happy. What a gift!

My 2 young children and I had a remarkable time attending the Yoga Farm's Family Week. Tara the coordinator was wonderful and attentive to each family's needs and had creative projects prepared for the children each day with adventures around the ashram in between. We will definitely attend in years to come. My suggestion is that the ashram also bring in a specialized children's yoga teacher that is trained in story telling and managing young children during asanas. This is a skill in itself and not something a regular yoga teacher can simply pick up. Tara is a wonderful orchestrator, however it would be difficult for her to teach yoga to the children with her full plate of managing the program. The family camp would be a richer experience with a specialized children's yoga teacher that can really teach the benefits of asanas with joy.

This weekend surpassed my expectations! The tranquility of the ashram was much needed. I'm not vegetarian so was concerned about what there would be to eat, but was pleasantly surprised by how tasty everything was. From the people attending to the yoga instructor to Satsang, I wouldn't change a thing...it was a weekend I won't forget.

Seva study at the farm was very helpful in my Sadhana. The people I met there during this time were reflections of the issues and growth that was needed for this Sadhana. People from all over the world and the country showed up with similar issues to work through. The discussions about our personal journeys and how these fit into the daily lectures were co very helpful. I believe that this experience could only happen at the the Yoga Farm and no where else. The daily lectures were very helpful along the path. I recommend that anyone requiring a place for reflection and healing consider the yoga Farm for their Sadhana.

Love for Yoga leads me to wanting to learn Vedic philosophy and the way of life. When I found Vedic Counseling Course offered in California, I didn't wait a moment to sign up. Just 1.5 hours flight away from LA, Sivananda Yoga Farm Ashram was a completely different place. An Alpaca and Lamas greeted me upon my arrival, and the serene environment made me feel at ease instantly.
The day at the ashram starts at 5:30am, Satsang, meditation, yoga, and workshops.
The Vedic Counseling Course consists of Ayurveda, Bastu, Jyotish Astology, Yantra, philosophy, Puja, yoga, and so on, and I have learned so much about the karmic nature and myself.
The daily routine helped me to be more aware of my life and to live in Yogic way of life. Their vegitalian meals were so delicious and healthy,too!
Now I'm back home and slowly starting to digest the experiences.
I'm filled with the gratitude and will definitely keep coming back at the ashram for my spiritual maintenance and inspiration!

The overall calmness around the place was wonderful. Located in the mountains and a wonderful place for calmness and silence around. The place was filled with few Lama’s and a goat. It provides you the ability to reach a state of bliss.
The annoying aspect was the ever buzzing flies disturbing constantly in the process of doing yoga. The room needs to be equipped with a machine that keeps flies alway like the one placed in the dinning room.
Overall! a wonderful experience and would recommend for others to visit and enjoy!

The experience my daughter gets from this camp is fantastic. I love that it's more than an active camp of just "playing", that it offers deeper life long skills that will help to guide her. She makes great friends and is eager to go back next year. This was our second year attending. It's a beautiful, positive, loving place. The staff, counselors and swamis hold this in their heartspace. It takes special people to work with children with all kinds of personalities, backgrounds and ages. I thank you for keeping my daughter safe, being kind and encouraging her spiritual growth.

Really enjoyed the Nada Yoga workshop and found the instructor, Ram Vakkalanka, a profound expert in the field of Sanskrit, Vedic History and Scripture and the healing and transformative music of Nada Yoga as well as being a Yogi himself, Sivananda's ability to bring such luminaries makes me want to become more involved on this ancient and sacred path - Om

Extraordinary and life changing experience. The TTC is a complete program that is worth from beginning to end. If you can have this transformative opportunity have no doubt and register to the next TTC.

Pros:
setting is beautiful so many song birds to listen to, accommodations are clean, food is very good and filing, pleasant people
Cons:
their program is their program and waking at 5:30 AM everyday (to sit in a 2 hour meditation, chants and lesson) and staying up doing programs until 10:30PM is not what I consider a retreat. In print it says they are optional but in fact they take attendance and require for the good of the group for everyone to be at these and the afternoon yoga session for 2 hours from 4-6pm. The first meal does not happen until 10AM and while they warn you of this and tell you to bring snacks, unless you eat at 5:30AM it won't happen until 10am brunch. Since I was in a yoga101 class, my class also met from 8-10AM, had "suggested" karma yogi chores from 11:45am-12:45pm, and then had class again from 1-3pm. So basically you are in a program from 6am-10:30pm everyday. If you were at a business conference maybe this would be the norm, but I had hoped for more "me" time without someone talking at me for hours, and I certainly had hoped for more resting/quiet time outdoors to just be. While you know of this when selecting your lodging, not having a bathroom in your bedroom is not a good thing if you require toilet in the night. Accommodations with toilet are not plentiful. Showers are also an issue. Due to a fire that burned down the largest shower house they are only left with 2 stalls on the women's side of camp. The rules ask for them to not be taken during morning rush hour, and for someone in a program like I was that meant either 5am or 10pm shower. I am not into the Sivananda religion, perhaps if I was or was interested it would not have felt so cult like. You get the feeling everyone else drank the Koolaide. Again, this would be a positive thing if you are already into their following.

As a twin mom, I got my recharge by spending a long weekend at the yoga farm.
What to say? The wholesome vegetarian food prepared with love, friendly staff and like-minded fellow retreat participants, being in nature with other animals, soaking up in the sun, getting up early for meditation and chanting, beautiful Kirtan concert, blissful ayuvedic treatment and many more...
It relaxes me and put me back to my AM routine of meditation, chanting and pranayama. Not just me, my whole family benefit from this retreat.
Om~

What an absolute gift to be able to spend time at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm. From the moment the staff picked me up at the train station, I felt welcome and a part of the family. As someone who studied at the Sivananda Ashram in Kerala, India, I can say that I felt the same spiritual commitment and presence at this Yoga Farm. The yoga classes were beautifully taught, the lessons from the Swamis and guest teachers opened my heart, and the food cleansed and rejuvenated my body. I will come again and again and probably again. Thank you so much for this space.

Sivananda Ashram is a very special place of healing and reconnecting. The volunteers and devotees that live at the Ashram more permanently truly make you feel not just welcome but loved and cared for. That was the thing that stood out the most, the people were wonderfully warm.
This was my first Ashram experience and I was very impressed with the level of spiritual immersion that occurred. Time seems to stand still here as you practice yoga twice a day, engage in Satsang which consists of silent mediation, teachings and chant two daily as well as the plethora of workshops and other things to participate in. Getting into that routine for a few days has inspired me to get serious about my own daily practice. The whole experience I felt high from the amazing vibrations that come from engaging your inner spirit and expanding your heart center.
Overall good accommodations and really great food. We also loved the workshops. Overall, highly recommended to those who love yoga and want to engage with a deeper spiritual practice.

I highly recommend spending some days at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm. It has gorgeous surroundings, yummy food, nice people, wonderful yoga classes, and more. I went there for the meditation course. For many years, I practiced transcendental meditation with great benefits until I did not. I needed a jump start into the meditation practice. The course was insightful, deep, and extremely helpful. Besides the course, I participated in the two daily group meditation sessions, attended the two daily lectures, the two yoga classes, helped in the kitchen after brunch, and walked around the gorgeous surroundings. It is a really special place.

I love the delightful staff which has been there for many years. They are so welcoming you immediately feel at home. During Karma yoga you get to know the rest of the staff which is great fun. The Yoga Nidra Training was over the top filled with brilliant information. I can't imagine life without it now. The pujas before and after the training were awe inspiring, heartwarming and left me with tremendous love in my heart. Altogether the yoga farm is a place where you leave inspired whether you come for a day, a few days or a week or more.

I had a beautiful 2-day experience here a year ago and it completely changed my habits and outlook on life. It was exactly what I was missing. It was exactly what I needed. I quit caffeine, alcohol, and social media. These rajasic things were sucking the life out of me. I replaced these habits with daily yoga, chanting, and mediation. I have been back a few times and it feels like coming home to my self and the beautiful people of this world. The chattering person inside my head quiets down and I am filled with positivity. There is so much to learn in every minute you spend at the yoga farm. Bring your friends, go alone, just open your heart and go.

It was a beautiful experience!
Sure there are opportunities to grow, but I´ll go back tomorrow without a doubt.
The retreat and my time at the ashram was soul and body nourishing!
I did the Yoga Nidra Training.
Blessings

Of course it is a peaceful time, for the most part, at the Yoga Farm. However, this was a DETOX. I think the staff should have been more aware of this and instead of automatically putting me in a cabin with someone who was NOT on the detox, they could have given me a separate cabin. There were 5 empty ones when I checked in. A detox implies you will be using the restroom often (and there are not an overabundance of restrooms at the Farm) so there were times when I was not that comfortable. There was no actual daily agenda. It was very loose and I was rescheduled a few times as far as my consult and my bliss therapy. My consult was very short, much less than an hour and I felt like I was being rushed so the doctor could get back to Sacramento. I still have not received the materials which he was going to email me and this is 5 days later.

Dear Spiritual Warriors,
When first arriving at the Yoga Farm Ashram after a long and arduous journey of 30,000 miles my body was exhausted and out of alignment. So much so, that the pain was intolerable, it made it very difficult to walk without grimacing. The auspicious timing of my arrival and the commencement of the Marma Point Therapy workshop (also known as Ayurvedic Acupressure) was undeniable, so I chose to join in and learn a new technique as a compliment to the healing practice I already have as a Polynesian Bodyworker. Not only did I learn an ancient healing art which is foundational to all healing modalities, I also had the opportunity to experience the therapy first hand. Within three days my body was back into alignment and I was walking pain free. I highly recommend Marma Point Therapy as an alternative medical treatment, which integrates the knowledge of ancient Ayurveda and the principles of acupressure, to aid in completely healing physical, mental, emotional and spiritual illnesses.
Om Namah Shivaya,
Tia Mavanie

It certainly is a great experience in a peaceful, serene setting with dedicated and friendly staff. The meditation and yoga taught provide is quite a learning experience for beginners. You will not be pushed to do things you won't be comfortable to do, and yoga staff will tell you what not to do if you have certain health conditions. They help you relax your body and mind with warm ups and do the ones you can and correct you if you are doing it wrong. The meditation and the chanting helps you to bring out the positive energy and again it is not forced on you if you are not into it or have different religious beliefs. The fresh organic food cooked for each meal is good, nutritious and plenty. Fellow attendees or volunteers are very friendly and welcoming. The nice thing about this place is you will have a community to interact and socialize, but will have an opportunity to self reflect or have plenty of time for yourself or take a hike on different trails in the 200 acre oak studded scenic area with alpacas, goats, deer, turkeys, etc. Nice cabins in a great setting. Highly recommend spending a weekend in a retreat or a week stay here for a relaxed body and mind.

Thank you!

Why Retreat?

We asked people why they go on retreat, here's what they said:

After the past two years of transition on every level, I would absolutely LOVE a retreat! :)
Chelsee

Retreat Guru's Vision

We believe human beings are innately wise, strong and kind. This wisdom, although not always experienced, is always present. Going on retreat is a beautiful way to reconnect to our basic sanity and health. Our aspiration at Retreat Guru is to inspire people to experience authentic retreats and reconnect with their innate wisdom, strength and kindness.